106 HUNTING DIRECTORY. 



Dumb Madness. 



was not wide open, but only partially so, and that he was 

 able to shut it I can safely attest, as I saw him many 

 times close his jaws, though he never kept them more 

 than a second or two in that position ; further, the animal 

 frequently licked his fore-legs, but I never saw him raise 

 his feet, or otherwise use indications similar to those 

 adopted by a dog when he seems to have a bone in his 

 throat ; and therefore the cases did not appear to agree. 



I had next recourse to the " Sportsman's Dictionary, 

 or Gentleman's Companion ;" the third edition of which 

 was published in 1783, which contained the following 

 observations; — "Dumb madness lies in the blood, and 

 causes the dog not to feed, but to hold his mouth always 

 wide open, frequently putting his feet to his mouth, as if 

 he had a bone in his throat." 



To be brief — I perused every thing within my reach, 

 on the subject of dogs and their diseases, but without 

 gaining the least information ; and, as the disorder, at 

 least in the form in which it presented itself, was new to 

 me, I began to entertain fears for the life of my dog, and 

 the sequel will prove they were but too well founded. I 

 have already remarked, that I first perceived the disease 

 on the 8th of January, and the dog continued much in 

 the same way for four successive days, during which, all 

 his faculties appeared very little, if at all, impaired. He 

 would follow me into the field, and even hunt, frequently 

 attempting to drink, and, in order to accomplish that 

 desirable object, would thrust his nose into the water, 

 instead of attempting to lap ; but he never succeeded in 

 forcing any of the fluid down his throat : his sense of 

 smell was as perfect as ever; and, indeed, though he 



